The overwhelming majority secures Rwandan President Kagame's fourth term.

 The overwhelming majority secures Rwandan President Kagame's fourth term.

The overwhelming majority secures Rwandan President Kagame's fourth term.

With an astounding 99.15% of the vote, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has secured a fourth term in office in an election in which just two rival candidates were allowed to contest against him.

The outcome of the poll on Monday was expected because Kagame has ruled the small African country for almost three decades, first as president and then as de facto leader.

Seven hours after voting closed, the electoral commission revealed partial results that demonstrated Kagame's resounding victory. This represents a larger margin than the 98.79 percent he received in the previous election, which was held seven years ago. With 79 percent of the votes counted, independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana received 0.32 percent of the vote, while Frank Habineza, the candidate for the Democratic Green Party, achieved only 0.53%.

Speaking from the RPF headquarters, the 66-year-old president of Rwanda conveyed his appreciation to the people of his country for giving him a further five years in office. "The results that have been presented show a very high score; even if it was 100%, these are not just numbers," the speaker stated. The most crucial thing is that these numbers demonstrate the trust. I have faith that we can work through every issue together.

It is anticipated that all preliminary results would be available by July 20 and final results by July 27. For Rwandans living abroad as well as those in the country, the electoral process worked smoothly and transparently, according to the National Electoral Commission.

Considering that 65% of Rwandans are under 30, Kagame is still the only leader the majority of Rwandans have ever known. Although he is credited with reconstructing the country following the 1994 genocide, he is criticized for inciting fear among the populace and for causing instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a neighboring country.

TrendingGist Blog conveys a report that over nine million Rwandans wwho were registered to vote, including about two million first-time voters, with the presidential election coinciding with legislative elections for the first time.

TrendingGist Blog also reports that Kagame has consistently secured over 93 per cent of the vote in previous elections in 2003, 2010, and 2017. He has implemented controversial constitutional amendments to reduce presidential terms from seven to five years, resetting the clock to potentially extend his rule until 2034.

Also, recall that Rwandan courts have upheld convictions disqualifying prominent opposition figures Bernard Ntaganda and Victoire Ingabire from running. Additionally, the election commission barred outspoken Kagame critic Diane Rwigara, citing paperwork issues.

Amnesty International highlighted the severe restrictions faced by Rwanda’s political opposition, including threats, arbitrary detentions, prosecutions, trumped-up charges, killings, and enforced disappearances.

During the three-week campaign, the RPF’s powerful PR machine dominated, with the party’s red, white, and blue colors and slogans like “Tora Kagame Paul” (“Vote Paul Kagame”) and “PK24” (“Paul Kagame 2024”) visible everywhere. In contrast, Kagame’s rivals struggled to attract significant support, with some events drawing fewer than 100 attendees.

Kagame’s RPF is credited with ending the 1994 genocide and leading Rwanda to significant economic recovery, with GDP growing by an average of 7.2 per cent annually from 2012 to 2022. However, the World Bank reports that nearly half the population lives on less than $2.15 a day.

Internationally, Kagame’s administration faces accusations of meddling in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with UN reports alleging Rwandan troops’ involvement with M23 rebels.

In the parliamentary elections, 589 candidates vied for 80 seats, with 53 elected by universal suffrage. The RPF held 40 seats in the outgoing assembly, with allies holding 11 and Habineza’s party having two. An additional 27 seats are reserved for women, youth, and people with disabilities.